Misconceptions about braces, before getting braces....

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#1 Post by **newmetal** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 8:39 pm

Before getting braces i had the following misconceptions:

-Having braces was a lengthy process, minimum of 3 years.
-Braces only corrected teeth that were already near to 'perfect'.
-Braces gave you a really bad lisp.
-Brace wearers all have the same 'monkey mouth' look.

It was only when getting on archwired.com that i was given more insight into braces and realised that i was eligable for them. Although, one thing i have found since getting braces, is the pain involved. Therefore i have a new found respect for all those kids and adults that have them.

Just curious to see if anyone else had misconceptions on braces and if so what were they?

Newmetal

#2 Post by **Lisa65** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 5:04 am

I'd believed that braces couldn't be used on adults after about 20 years of age, and that wires had to be "tightened" (I didn't know about memory wires)

#3 Post by **Jennine** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 4:48 pm

> since they told me i needed a head gear when i was 9... I thought that i would still need one now

> that it would still take 4-5 yrs like they told me it would when I was 9

> that my fangs were worse than everyone elses

> that metal braces are bad for you because they are metal

> that the smell from the glue/cement for the braces will make you nauseas

> that elastics taste and smell like rubber bands

> that i would still need jaw surgery like they told me i did when i was 9

>that my mouth would be full of sores, peeling and bleeding ( not even have 1 scratch as of yet ) - however ive had a soft bendable wire so far.

> that Id never get used to them..... but I have

#4 Post by **joney** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 2:32 pm

Like Lisa I wasn't sure if adult teeth could be straightened. I hadn't a clue how braces worked despite my older daughter having had a brace

I wondered how on earth could a piece of wire do anything but rest on the teeth.

I didn't know an overjet from an overbite and had never even realised that I was the proud owner of an openbite myself! I never even realised how important having a good bite is.

In short I was almost completely ignorant. Archwired has taught me so much and I am not sure that I would even have had treatment if I hadn't stumbled across this site.

Hooray for Archwired

#5 Post by **Anim8torCathy** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 7:11 am

Newbie here - I didn't even know adults COULD have braces! I did a Google search on adults with braces and found this wonderful site! I am so grateful this forum exists! I felt so alone, at 52, thinking I was the only older adult who wanted to correct my crowding, I think this place is totally awesome! Now I know I'm not alone and there's a whole community of people like me! Viva ArchWired!

#6 Post by **artmomz** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 7:35 am

That people put on their own ligs...

#7 Post by **kirjax** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 1:43 pm

I'm glad you brought this topic up bc I'm pissed at myself for allowing myself to have all these misconceptions and waiting so long. I was def. aware adults could be braced but I was told by people as well as one other ortho about certain things that scared me for many years into getting braces.

here are a few examples:

They REALLY hurt and you'll hate them the entire time. (okay granted they aren't the best things to have in your mouth but I don't hate them nor do they hurt *so far*)

I was told that I would have to have lots of extractions (well guess what I don't. They are going to try to move all the teeth without any kinds of added procedures and if it doesn't work I'll have IPR done on a few teeth).

I was told by one ortho I may need surgery to fix my jaw and bc I'm older that it would take about 4-5 years to get it all fixed (hmm well I was told by my ortho now that surgery isn't necessary and that my brace time is less then 24 months *lets hope*)

I was also told that elastics were by far the worst things to encounter (well I have them now and I don't even know they're there, infact when I take them out my mouth feels worse).

I also feared the whole headgear thing. But I don't think that's in my future. I wasn't told of anything other then braces and possible IPR. If my orhto has other plans she has yet to inform me.

I think it's normal for people to have misconceptions and to be nervous about taking the plunge to do so. But I'm so glad I'm doing it. Sure there are days that I wake up and something hurts and I think, ah this sucks. And there are times I smile and then frown bc I can't stand seeing all this extra stuff on my teeth, but I quickly think about the end result and get over it, and there are times where I'm dying to eat something and I can't but I just figure it will be one more thing I can look forward to binging on on debanding day

All in all braces aren't horrible like I thought they'd be. And I just think I'm doing this to make myself more confident bc it's a choice. Some people have far worse problems and don't have choices to make themselves more confident.

#8 Post by **kirjax** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 1:47 pm

oh and to add one more thing I just remembered.

I was always hearing that ceramic braces are bad bc they stain. Well I quickly learned it's not the brackets that stain but the ligs. I have ceramic braces and clear ligs and so far no staining for me!

#9 Post by **mindykatz** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 12:35 pm

I was actually unaware that orthos still used headgear. But that was before I saw what modern headgear actually looks like!

I still had those images in my head of those huge metal cage-like contraptions on people's heads that used to be in like...old horror movies that were about dentists- I guess I assumed that they didn't use headgear anymore because I hadn't seen anyone in something that looked like that!

#10 Post by **artmomz** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 12:56 pm

One lady did tell me that adults didn't get headgear, and that I wouldn't have to worry about it.

That was her misconception, not mine.

I tended to ignore her in general, though, because she wasn't the most reliable source of information. I decided early on that I'd just wait and see what my ortho had to say.

#11 Post by **Miss Smiley** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 4:35 pm

I always thought that braces were just to straighten teeth to be pretty. I had no idea that crowding and gaps could be detrimental to my mouth.

I thought that everyone had to get those dreaded spacers.

I had no idea that they would need to pull teeth and make gaps, just to close them with other teeth. I thought jaws were made to fit all of our teeth.

I didn't know why people had to keep braces on even when their teeth were straight. I didn't know roots had to catch up to line up along the jaw.

I didn't think I'd be able to have corn on the cob, tortilla chips, and kettle chips, but I have.

#12 Post by **Thathrill** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 10:01 pm

I didn't have many misconceptions but I had some:

I thought:

People with braces had bad breath (metal smelling breath)
-I now realize its only the people who don't clean their mouth properly

Braces makes it difficult to talk
-I do have a lisp now and some words are difficult to say

I thought I could still eat the same way I usually did
-boy was I wrong. no biting into sandwiches care free and biting raw veggies.

#13 Post by **Laurie** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 10:10 pm

I always thought it would take heaven and earth to move my teeth because they were SO bad.

I thought I'd be shamed by the ortho and dentist for not having it done before now.

I thought I'd have to wear headgear.

I thought it would never happen.

#14 Post by **peach** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 7:53 am

I work with kids and the first thing they always ask me is "Did it hurt when they put them on?" I had one child ask me this question and when I told him no, he got a thoughtful expression and replied, "But how could it not hurt? Don't they drill them in?" I almost laughed

What a horrifying thought! When I explained how the braces are applied, he smiled and said "Oh."

#15 Post by **Cinnamon** » Fri Jul 06, 2007 3:23 pm

One thing that I didn't know is that arches could be widened on adults

. I thought that that was only for growing teens/kids. I'm still skeptical - but I'm looking forward to proving it to myself.